I work within the tourism industry and write about the city I love.

Clarion Stockholm opens new spa

Clarion Stockholm on Södermalm island is opening a spa, Elements Spa By Clarion Hotels during 2011. The spa is based on the Ayurveda-philosophys' five elements; earth, water, fire, air and space. The spa will be situated on floor 2 and with a separate new entrance or via the hotel.

Recreation at Blue Hotel

I woke up feeling like a new person this morning. The reason, i guess, is my visit to Blue Hotel and Blue Hamam on the island of Lidingö just 30 minutes by bus from Stockholm yesterday evening.

Me and some of my colleagues trieed a real turkish hamam treatment including scrub and wash on the special hot marble stone. The Blue Hamam also includes a steam bath, a sauna, a small hot pool, an outdoor jaccuzzi and a sauna by the sea. Part of the hamam experience is Camecan, the oriental lounge where you can rest, drink turkish tea and eat fruits and nuts. We also tried their excellent Meze...

Blue hotel is a family owned business and primary a hotel for meetings and conferences with 60 hotel rooms. They also offer wellness - for instance Yoga, instructed by one of the sons in the family. The other son stands behind the interior. The restaurant area, hotel rooms and the hamam area have recently been renovated. The traditionally 60s environment is still present in the modern, but still cosy atmosphere. The hotel also offers a really interesting wine cellar.The hotel is looking in to the leisure market, which I personally think is a great idea. I can picture myself taking the regular boat to Blue hotel, enjoy a day in the Hamam, eat, take a walk in the surroundings, do some yoga, stay over night and go back by bus - as a new person...

Winter cosy cafees

Stockholm is really beautiful right now with all the snow. I took this picture this morning in Humlegården park on my way to the office. After a snowy winter walk here are DN PåStans list of cosy cafées.

Hair and face opens in PUB

Buy a new outfit and get a total makeover in one place. Facial treatments, massage, manicure, pedicure and hair cuts are now available at the trendy lifestyle department store PUB. The Hair and Face company have just opened a saloon in the building.

Wellness in Stockholm

There is more to Sweden than Swedish Massage. Stockholm - the capital of Sweden offers several hotels specialized in wellness.

The newly opened Clarion Sign Hotel hosts the renowned Selma City Spa (image), where you can enjoy a swim on the roof viewing The City Hall, where the Nobel Prize banquette takes place.

Together with Raison d'Etre, one of the world's leading spa development and management consultancies, Grand Hôtel will offer guests unparalleled spa experiences during the autumn of 2009. Located in the Burmanska Palace wing of the hotel, Raison d'Etre spa will offer a truly innovative classical concept. Spread over two floors, the 1400m² spa will feature eight treatment rooms and a state-of-the-art and functional training fitness centre.

Archipelago spas:

For a combination of Japanese and Scandinavian spa the yasuragi spa is the ultimate choice. And with the combination of Turkish style the Blue Hamam is a recommendation.

Green wedges of Stockholm

The lush green wedges is a characteristic of Stockholm. The most wellknown being the National City Park which stretches some 24 kilometers through the city. The City of Stockholm has all in all 398 parks divided in the four city districts.

Raison d´Etre opens spa at Grand Hotel

A 1500 square meter large Spa facility will open in the Grand Hotel in december 2009. The new spa will be runned by the international Raison d'Etre Spa and will feature top class service and quality with a magnificent view of the Royal Palace. The new Spa and gym will be placed in the Burmanska Palace at Grand Hotel.

Salt room for cure and recreation

40 minutes in a room made of salt is a great way to cure colds, astma, allergy etcetera according to the initiators of Stockholm Saltrum. You sit and relax in your normal clothes and breethe the salty air...

Yasuragi Spa best in Sweden

The japanese inspired Yasuragi Spa at Hasseludden was chosen the Best Spa (of 29 possible) in Sweden according to the montlhy helth magazine Leva . Factors such as food, workout, rest and treatments were taken into consideration. Centralbadet and Sturebadet are two other alternatives for recreation in the city.

Three recreational pearls

Photo: Saltsjöbaden/ Stockholms Läns museumStockholm is a great place for recreation and the swimming and spa culture is a vital part of that. If you want to try something out of the ordinary - I have three suggestions: 1) Swim under the vaults of a house fransiscan monks from 16th century in Gamla Stan. Storkyrkobadet is situated on Svartmannagatan 20, 22 in Old Town.2) Liljeholmsbadet was built in 1929 and is a cold-water plunge situated on Södermalm near the Street market. Mondays for women only and Fridays for men only.3) Like a wooden castle lays Saltsjöbadens Friluftsbad (cold-water plunge) where you can enjoy seabathing in a beautiful environment. The spa is situated on Restaurangholmen, Saltsjöbaden.

Barber and Books for men

Photo: Barber and BooksA traditional barber shop for modern men interested in keeping their face and intellect on top has opened on Södermalm. Barber and Books is situated on Östgötagatan 21in the SoFo area on Södermalm. First class treatments with neck massage, shaving and hair cuts. Here you will also find beautiful and hand picked photo books, lifestyle litterature and books about the good in life.

Hammarbybacken is expanding

Picture: Hammarbybacken/SkistarThe popular city skislope Hammarbybacken is expanding in all directions. The slopes will be longer and wider when it opens later on this year. The new slope will be 92 metres high. You will reach Hammarbybacken with the Tvärbanan Tram to Sickla Kaj station. Its a five minute walk from the station towards Max Hamburgerbar and you see the slope.

Japanese garden is being built at Yasuragi Spa

Photo: Yasuragi HasseluddenThe Yasuragi Hasseludden Spa in Nacka continues to develop the Japanese theme ? now with a large japanese garden (the size of three soccer fields), according to Dagens Industri. The garden will be a place for a stroll and peacefullness and will be built during five years. The first part, a stonestage and garden, will open in november 2007.

Spa-weekend in beautiful surroundings

Photo: Nynäs HavsbadYou don´t have to go to Lappland in the northern part of Sweden to enjoy warm birch-oil, curing stones and jojk. Just enjoy 80 minutes of Samezen at Sturebadet in Stockholm. Centralbadet is another traditional spa in Stockholm City. Japanese spa can be enjoyed in the archipelago at Hasseludden Yasuragi a modern building on top of a green hill. In the summer you can take the sushi boat from Strömkajen and during the winter only by bus.

55 kilometer south of Stockholm you will find Nynäs Havsbad, a true archipelago experience, easy accessible from Stockholm central with commuter train. Nynäs Havsbad is beautiful situated in a turn-of the-century house. Another turn of the century hotel is found in the fashionable suburb of Saltsjöbaden. The white manorhouse looking Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden is easily accessible from Slussen in Stockholm with Saltsjöbanan-train. A real oriental weekend can be enjoyed at Nordic Blue Hotel, on Lidingö island in Stockholm. Relax in, Blue Hamam spa, the camekan oriental lounge and eat mezes. Nordic Blue is accessed by Subway to Ropsten and Bus.

First sushiboat to Hasseludden Yasuragi

Its often said that all great things are three. When you?ll try the new Yasuragi Sushi boat you will receive a nice sushi-lunch, a cruise through the archipelago and Spa treatments at Yasuragi Spa in Nacka.

Yasuragi Hasseludden arranges two daily sushicruises. The boat leaves Nybroviken, kajplats 9, at 11.00 and 13.00. The trip includes roundtrip Hasseludden and costs 200 SEK which includes the 1 hour and 45 minute trip, sushi and misosoup. Stay for the day or stay over night.

Japanese architect, Yoji Kasajimas elegant, grey-brown buildings seem almost to rise out of the natural rock at this hotel and Japanese bath, with warm water sources inside and out. Massage, facial and body treatments, as well as other activities, such as meditation and qi gong ? all in a setting inspired by Japanese design.